Lessons from Mark 5 - New Norms

Mark Chapter 5 opens with Jesus performing a miracle on the South Eastern shores of the sea of Galilee. This was gentile territory. He heals a demon possessed man. Then He and His disciples cross the sea and now minister on the western shores of Galilee. This is Jewish territory.

Jesus broke the first social norm. He made no distinction between a Jew and gentile, which was the main form of distinction in those days, especially amongst the Jews who considered the gentiles “dogs”. Even today, social differentiation exists in terms of race, caste, color or creed. But its assuring to know in the eyes of God we all stand as equals. We all sinners condemned to hell and need the grace of God for redemption.

On this side of Galilee, we are told Jesus performs two miracles. He heals the woman with hemorrhaging problem and He raises a dead girl. Noticed Jesus touched both of them which would have made in unclean under the laws of Moses. 

Jesus breaks the 2nd social norm. He touches the clean and the unclean. I am sure the Jews of the pharisaical order must have been terribly distraught with this new norms that Jesus was bringing into their culture. 

The phrases were so intrigued by the observance of the law. The observance of the fasts, the giving of tithes and they did-picked about which oaths were binding and which were not, ignoring the sacred nature of all oaths and significance of the temple and God’s holiness 

Even today culture and tradition seem to have a role in Christendom, especially so if one is converted from a different worldview. The phrases were stout on their traditions: you can't eat with unwashed hands; you can do any form of work on a sabbath. Jesus challenged these social norms and brought in a new order. The phrases focused on the letter of the Law and obeyed it with pride, but they missed the weightier things of God. Their religion was external; their hearts were not transformed.

Praise God that He is no respecter of persons and there is always room at the cross for anyone who sincerely repents, be it jew or gentile. Jesus also showed that what matters most is the matter of the heart; not the external observances of the traditions but in the inward transformation of the heart. When this happens there will be a genuine desire to follow the law of Christ.


Acknowledgement: Some extracts fromhttps://www.gotquestions.org/scribes-and-Pharisees.html

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